The Mask
by AStormsFury
Summary: Ron arrives from Romania with a new friend. Hermione has been placed in charge of planning a Ministry event, but the person in charge of helping her might not be helpful at all. #dramione
1. Chapter 1

It was 6:00.

The work day ended an hour ago, but she had stayed. A few remaining coworkers who had yet to finish up their work for the week lingered around the office. She could hear them slowly say their goodbyes to one another outside her door, wishing one another a good weekend. Plans to meet up for shopping trips and drinks were made in hushed voices outside her office, hoping she wouldn't here them. She wasn't offended, though. Hermione was much too busy helping wizarding kind then to waste time shopping with coworkers she wasn't overly fond of.

It was 7:00.

By now all but two of her coworkers had gone home. She couldn't hear anymore talking, but could here soft music playing from the file room next door, where she knew her coworker, Patrick McCaffery, would be putting away files. Patrick had just turned 21 and had graduated from Ilvermorny in the States before moving to London a couple of months ago. Hermione liked him. He was young and driven to succeed. He often stayed late and finished up odds and ends that their other coworkers had left behind. And he never complained. She liked that best of all.

Hermione knew her boss also remained in the office. Maria Melborne ran a tight ship, but was a kind and dedicated leader. If Hermione and Maria left the office at the same time, it was considered an early day for her boss. And Hermione rarely left on time.

It was 8:00.

Patrick had gone home, bidding Hermione a goodnight and a pleasant weekend. She hadn't moved from behind her desk. The same parchment she'd been going over for the last few hours still stared her in the face. There were so many cross-outs and corrections, Hermione really questioned just what the Department of Law Enforcement was thinking, trying to pass such a stupid proposal. It needed so much correcting, and she knew there were going to be a lot of long, boring meetings over the next few weeks that would all end without anything getting solved. Just like they always did.

It was 9:00.

She stretched her arms above her head and let out a long breath. Her back was starting to hurt from hunching over her desk all day. She glanced at the clock and took in how late it was getting. Crookshanks would be getting hangry soon. The little beastie always got a bit of an attitude before he was fed. Not that he didn't eat all day, but he seemed to be especially hungry around dinner time. Hermione smiled and shook her head. He'll just have to wait. She had to finish this document before she went home for the weekend, otherwise she wouldn't be able to sleep until she came back to her office.

It was 10:00.

The enchanted window in her office had darkened long ago. A few lights remained on but dim, giving the office a bit of an earie glow. Hermione liked staying late, though. It was quiet and no one disturbed her. Well, usually.

"You're still here." Maria stated, poking her head through Hermione's door. Her grey hair looked frazzled and she had tied it into a bun at some point in the day.

"Yes, this proposal is going to be the death of me." Hermione replied.

"That bad, huh?"

"Worse." She said on a sigh.

"I'm not surprised. They're a bunch of men in that department that don't exactly think with their brains." Maria said with a sly smile and a wink. "Anyways, i'm kicking you out. It's Friday and you're young. Go out!"

"Oh, but I really want to finish reviewing this. You know I won't be able to rest until Monday if I don't." Hermione replied with a frown.

Maria sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine. But I'm only giving you another half hour. Any more than that, and i'll drag you out of this office myself!"

"Yes ma'am!" Hermione said with a mock salute and a smile.

Maria closed the door quietly and Hermione heard her meander back to her office and shut the door. Half an hour. She can finish it in half an hour. She was practically done. Besides, the whole document was a freaking mess anyways, and it would have to be given back to her when corrections were made so that she could do another read-through. Hermione read quickly through the last remaining pages, and just as she was cleaning off her desk and about to grab her coat, Maria poked her head through the door again.

"Good. I'm glad you listened to me. Now go out and have fun! Merlin knows you need to enjoy yourself a bit. Go find a man! You won't stay young forever, you know."

Hermione chuckled and walked over to Maria to lock her door. "Yes yes, I know. But you're young yourself, Maria, and I don't see you running out of here to go prowl on young men."

"Ah, alas, my prowling days are over. No. Now I stay here and make life difficult for the men upstairs." She said with a wink. "Now go. Have a good weekend and I will see you Monday morning." Maria turned around and walked back towards her office.

"Goodnight, Maria!" Hermione called as she left. Maria just waved her hand without turning around, giving a 'shoo' action.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione arrived through the floo back into her living room. Crookshanks was already there, staring at the fireplace. When he saw her, he immediately started meowing and winding himself around her feet. Hermione walked into the kitchen and pulled down a can of cat food, opening it with the can opener and pouring it into Crookshanks food bowl. He sauntered over, sniffed it, sat down and glared at her. "Don't give me that look." She scoffed. "I can't afford to feed you tuna every night!" It was then that Hermione heard a soft hooting from the window. Looking up, she saw a brown barn owl resting on her armchair, staring at her. "Hello. And who's lovely bird might you be?" she asked, handing the owl a treat from the satchel on the windowsill. She slowly untied the letter from the bird and noticed it had the Hogwarts crest. "That's odd. Perhaps Minerva wants to have tea soon. I'll read it later. But first, I'm starving!" She allowed the owl to rest while she went back into the kitchen and began cooking herself dinner.

Later that evening as Hermione was resting on her couch with a book and a bottle of wine, the floo call chimed, signifying someone was trying to contact her. A moment later, Ron's head appeared in the fire.

"Ron!"

"Hey 'Mione!" he exclaimed. "Sorry i'm calling so late. How are you?"

Hermione got up from the couch and knelt in front of the fire.

"It's okay! I'm just relaxing. I'm well, but why _are_ you calling so late? Is everything alright?" Concern lacing her voice.

Ron smiled sheepishly "yeah everything is fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I just wanted to let you know that i'll be home next weekend. I was wondering if you'd like to go out for drinks when I get back. I already spoke with Harry and he said he will definitely be coming."

She grinned "of course he wouldn't miss a chance to go to the pub. Yes, I would absolutely love to go! I haven't seen you in a few months! I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I'll owl you with details. I'm not quite sure what time I'll be home, but I'll let you know. Charlie will be coming home as well, so I'll have to wait until he's done taking care of his babies" Ron said with an eye roll.

Hermione chuckled "that's harsh, Ron. You know he loves those dragons, and I know that you love them as well, so don't try to hide it from me."

Ron laughed "I can't hide anything from you. Anyway, I'll let you get back to your books and your wine. Love you!"

"I love you too, Ron. Goodnight."

Ron's face disappeared from the flames. She got up and walked back over to the couch. As she did, the letter from Hogwarts caught her eye. Opening it up, she read the contents and smiled. Minerva did want to have tea. But she hinted that there was something important she wished to speak with Hermione about. _I'll respond to her letter in the morning,_ she thought with a smirk. _But for now, I would very much like to get lost in my book and the taste of my wine._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione didn't sleep well that night. She rarely did. Memories of the war plagued her dreams every night. Though it had been seven years since the war ended, it was difficult to forget the horrors she endured and the faces of the dead that she remembered so vividly.

She glanced at the clock and saw that it was only 5:00. She covered her face with her hands and groaned. _Might as well get up now, since I won't be able to get back to sleep anyways_ she thought to herself. She rolled out of bed and padded her way to the bathroom. Deciding a bath would relax her, she turned on the water faucet and pulled down some lavender scented batch salts. Once the tub was full, Hermione pealed off her sweaty clothes and climbed into the tub, sighing in content as the hot water soaked into her body. She flicked her wand at the radio sitting on the countertop, and closed her eyes, listening to the soft music.

She must have fallen asleep, because when she opened her eyes again, the water had gone cold and she could hear Crookshanks meowing and batting at the door for her to feed him. She groaned and stood up, wrapping her hair in a towel and a bathrobe around her body.

After feeding Crookshanks his morning milk, she made her way into the bedroom to get dressed for the day. When Harry appeared in her fireplace an hour later, Hermione was sitting at the table, with a piece of omelet halfway to her mouth.

"Hey Harry! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He grinned "what? I can't just pop in and see you"

"You can, but we both know you have better manners than that. You're lucky I got dressed first."

He laughed, "please Hermione, we lived in a tent for a year. The threat of seeing you naked hasn't been scary since we were children"

She grinned slyly at him "I suppose I'll have to find a new threat. I'm sure Ginny can give me a list of a few good hexes to use."

He immediately frowned and his face went slightly pale. "Please don't. My wife is terrifying enough. I don't need to be afraid of two witches in my life."

Hermione laughed "This is true. But really, what's up? Did Ginny kick you out of the house again?"

Harry smiled again, "Nah, she's visiting Mrs. Weasley this morning. I was left to fend for myself. So, I was hoping you had some breakfast left over?" He looked at her hopefully.

Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled "Yes, there's still food on the stove." He smiled broadly and walked to the stove to make himself a plate.

"You know, you really should learn to cook for yourself sometime. You shouldn't rely on Ginny and myself to always feed you."

"I know! I can cook dinners, and I usually do if Ginny has a late game. But I always make a mess of breakfast. I don't even know how!" He exclaimed as he sat across from her at the table. "I mean, it's really just eggs and toast, I don't know how I keep messing it up."

"Hmmm" Hermione said as she chewed her omelet, "truly a mystery."

The two friends ate their breakfast and talked for a few hours before Harry glanced at his watch and stood up.

"I should get going" he said, looking at her again. "I'm sure Ginny is home by now, and I know she wanted to go shopping today. Your welcome to come with us, of course. Get you out of the house for the weekend." He gave her a pointed look.

Hermione stood with a sigh. "Well, I have been meaning to pick up a few new books, if you don't mind."

On Harry's groan, Hermione smacked his arm. "I'll only be a few minutes! Besides, you and Ginny always drag me to look at the new quidditch brooms!"

"Yeah, but that's different! Ginny needs them for her job!"

Hermione crossed her arms. "Well, I need books for my mind. Go. I'll meet you at your place in 10 minutes." She kissed Harry on the cheek and pushed him towards the floo.

Once Harry had disappeared, Hermione grabbed a light sweater and sandals. It was early September, but there was a slight breeze in the air. Rushing to the bathroom mirror, she quickly tied her bushy hair into a bun and straightened her clothes. Deeming herself acceptable to be out in society, she walked to the fireplace and flooed to Grimuald Place.

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and immediately was embraced by Ginny.

"Oh Hermione! I'm so excited you're coming! Harry is just horrible at helping me pick out cute clothes."

"Hey! I always tell you that you look adorable in anything you wear!" Harry exclaimed, looking mildly hurt.

"Yes, I know my love. And I adore it. But I need a girls opinion to tell me the truth."

"But I do tell you the truth" Harry said quietly with a frown.

Ginny walked over to him and kissed him softly. Leaning into his ear, she whispered so that Hermione wouldn't hear "I'll show you how much I love that you tell me the truth later. After we purchase some…._underthings…_" She pulled back with a wink.

Harry's eye grew wide and he smiled broadly "I am no longer offended."

Ginny laughed and Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes. "Gross. Stop being so in love and let's head out. I want to beat the crowd."

Hermione stepped into the floo and disappeared to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry kissed Ginny on the lips briefly and followed Hermione, with Ginny following quickly after.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So Hermione, have you heard that they're going be throwing the ministry Halloween ball at Hogwarts this year?" Ginny asked.

The three of them had finished their shopping and decided to get lunch and butterbeers at the Leaky Cauldron before returning home. They sat around a table, bags piled around their feet.

"I haven't" Hermione replied, "but I did receive an owl from Minerva saying she wanted to speak with me. I assume it's about the ball."

"My mother told me this morning. She's on the planning committee." Ginny said before taking a large bite of her sandwich.

Harry put down his butterbeer and looked thoughtful. "Why at Hogwarts? All of the children will be there."

Ginny finished chewing before she replied. "Since the school reopened a few years ago, all of the children get sent home for holidays. I guess most parents are still a bit uneasy about letting their children attend Hogwarts again."

"That's true." Hermione nodded and looked at Harry "remember Minerva told us how few children returned the first year Hogwarts reopened. The numbers have increased each year, but only slightly. It's silly to keep the children through the Holidays with the castle so empty already."

Harry frowned, "I guess it will take awhile for everyone to truly feel safe again. And even longer for everyone to forget."

The mood sobered then, the three friends each had distant looks on their faces. Hermione absently rubbed the scar on her arm. Everyone had their own demons and scars. Everyone that had fought had either died or watched someone die. The war was over, but the darkness remained. It could still be seen walking through parts of Diagon Alley, shops remained closed or destroyed either because the owner never came back, or they didn't survive.

Hermione glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was getting late. She stood up and tossed a few galleons on the table.

"Thanks for inviting me out guys. I must get going, though. I took a few files home from work that I need to look over before Monday." She said, grabbing her bags from the floor.

Harry stood up on a sigh. "You know work is meant for the weekdays, right?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and mumbled "says the man who goes into work on weekends."

Hermione laughed and kissed both of her friends on the cheek. "Sorry, but saving magical creatures is a job that never sleeps. I'll see you next weekend, Ginny. And Harry, i'll see you for lunch on Monday?"

"Can't" Harry replied, "I have training until two. How about Tuesday?"

Hermione nodded and they made plans to meet at the café in London that they loved. She waved goodbye to her friends as she went through the floo.

Back at her apartment, Hermione sat down at her desk and responded to Minerva's letter from the day before, asking if two weeks from the day would be acceptable to meet for tea.

The owl from Hogwarts was still in her apartment. It seemed to have taken a liking to Crookshanks and kept staring at him. Crookshanks, on the other hand, did not appreciate the new guest, and glared at him evilly.

Hermione attached the letter to the owls foot and walked it over to the window. Opening it and sticking her arm out, she wished the owl a safe travel and let it take off, watching until it disappeared behind the buildings.

She sighed and closed the window, grabbing a coffee and her folders and getting to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't until late the next morning that Hermione got an affirmative answer from Minerva, accepting her date for tea. A few hours later, another owl came from Ron, giving the details of his arrival at noon the coming Saturday. He and Charlie would be arriving Saturday at the burrow. Mrs. Weasley already had a lunch planned to welcome them home, and she wouldn't allow Hermione to say no.

Smiling to herself, Hermione wrote a quick letter back, informing him that she would of course be there for his arrival, and giving her love and excitement to see him again.

While Hermione and Ron had been a couple right after the war, their relationship only lasted about two months. Both parties felt the relationship was a bit expected from everyone around them, and honestly, it was a bit weird. Ron and Harry were like brothers to Hermione, and dating Ron just felt wrong. So they mutually broke up, and a year later, Ron had travelled to Romania to be a dragon tamer like his brother Charlie.

Since then, Ron only came home a few times a year, so Mrs. Weasley always planned a feast for when her sons returned.

For the rest of the day, Hermione padded around her apartment. She cleaned, she read, she ate her meals, and she relaxed. Overall, it was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday.

The following week flew by. Hermione worked overtime to get her desk cleared of any papers so that she wouldn't have anything interfering with her weekend. She wanted to spend as much time with Ron as she could, since she never knew when he'd come home again.

By Friday afternoon, Hermione was exhausted. There had been two complaints involving a niffler stealing someone's purse, and an altercation between a landowner and a centaur over who's land a certain tree grew on.

Hermione groaned and put her hands over her face. Sometimes, she wondered why she decided to fight for magical creatures rights, especially when all they did was give her a headache and a reason to drink.

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was 7:00. Deciding to call it a day and eager to start her weekend, Hermione grabbed her jacket and flooed home.

After feeding herself and Crookshanks, she grabbed a glass of wine, a book and a throw blanket, curling herself up on her couch for the remainder of the evening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, Hermione awoke bright and early. She didn't have any dreams last night, which to her, was a good thing. She made her way to the bathroom and started her morning routine of using the loo and brushing her teeth, before climbing into the bathtub for a nice morning soak.

After she felt relaxed and refreshed, Hermione climbed out and started getting dressed, deciding on a dark red dress with long sleeves. She paired it with a pair of brown knee high boots and a white scarf. She put on her makeup, light eyeliner and mascara, and then started the project of tackling her hair.

After one hour and two failed attempts to straighten it, Hermione emerged from her bedroom with her hair thrown into a messy bun. Noting the time, she quickly made a piece of toast with jam before flooing to the burrow.

When she arrived, the house was in a panic. Mrs. Weasley was shouting instructions to her children while simultaneously cooking. She had charmed the broom to sweep the kitchen and the dishes to wash themselves.

Mrs. Weasley was in a tizzy. Her hair was wild, her apron a mess, and her face red from shouting. She kissed Hermione a quick hello, and pushed her outside to help Ginny and George de-gnome the garden.

Entering the gardens, Hermione found Ginny and George having a competition on who can throw the gnome the furthest.

"Hey 'Mione! Come to join us hurl these buggers?" George asked as he threw another gnome across the yard.

"I guess so. What's up with your mum? I know she usually stresses when Ron and Charlie come home, but why is she having you de-gnome the garden?" Hermione asked as she searched the lettuce patch for more gnomes.

Ginny popped her head up, "apparently Ron and Charlie are bringing a friend from work home with them, so mum wants to make sure we give a good first impression" she said with an eye roll.

"As if her cooking isn't going to impress them enough." Hermione said as she plucked a gnome by the feet and flung it over the wall.

"I don't think he's staying for lunch. Ron wrote to tell me that he's only travelling with them via portkey, and then he'll be leaving. He didn't tell me who it was though. And he also told me to 'be nice'. Whatever that means."

Hermione laughed. "It is something we have to remind you, Ginny. You have a strong personality."

"And a strong arm! Good throw, Gin!" George exclaimed as his sister launched a gnome over the wall.

The three of them continued to de-gnome the garden until Harry came outside, informing them that Mrs. Weasley demanded everyone to be washed up and presentable, as the portkey was to arrive in 45 minutes.

After everyone had washed up and was deemed presentable by Mrs. Weasley, they all sat around the living room waiting for the portkey to arrive.

At exactly 12:00, the portkey activated and three people suddenly appeared in the middle of the Weasleys living room.

Charlie looked much the same as he always had, with broad shoulders and long hair tied back. Ron had filled out into his body a couple of years ago, and he copied Charlies hairstyle. He must not have shaved in awhile, since there was a healthy amount of stubble growing around his mouth and down his neck. He looked pretty roguish, and Hermione thought he wore the look well.

The third person was a bit taller than Ron, but shorter than Charlie. His build was lean but muscular, his hair was short and a bit messy. His face was clean, and his jaw was set. It took Hermione a couple of moments to recognize him, but when she did, her eyes widened, and she realized the rest of the room was silent.

Everyone was staring at the third man, eyes wide and a couple of mouths agape.

There, in the center of the Weasley living room, stood Draco Malfoy.


	2. Chapter 2

Last chapter:

_At exactly 12:00, the portkey activated and three people suddenly appeared in the middle of the Weasleys living room._

_Charlie looked much the same as he always had, with broad shoulders and long hair tied back. Ron had filled out into his body a couple of years ago, and he copied Charlies hairstyle. He must not have shaved in awhile, since there was a healthy amount of stubble growing around his mouth and down his neck. He looked pretty roguish, and Hermione thought he wore the look well. _

_The third person was a bit taller than Ron, but shorter than Charlie. His build was lean but muscular, his hair was short and a bit messy. His face was clean, and his jaw was set. It took Hermione a couple of moments to recognize him, but when she did, her eyes widened, and she realized the rest of the room was silent._

_Everyone was staring at the third man, eyes wide and a couple of mouths agape._

_There, in the center of the Weasley living room, stood Draco Malfoy._

**Chapter 2:**

Bill moved first. He stood up smiling and walked over to the trio, grabbing Charlie and giving him a loose hug and clap on the back. The initial shock wore off, and everyone got up to greet the newly arrived trio.

Hermione and Harry hung back, casting confused and worried glances at each other. Mrs. Weasley had all but lunged at Malfoy, and had pushed him into the kitchen, presumably to force food down his throat before he left. The Weasley family followed behind her, leaving only Ron, Hermione and Harry in the room.

"Hey mate! Good to see you!" Ron exclaimed as he clapped Harry on the back.

"Yeah, good to see you too" Harry responded a bit hesitantly.

Ron turned to Hermione with a smile on his face. "'Mione" he said, before engulfing her in a tight hug and kissing her on the cheek.

Hermione responded in kind before pulling back with a frown.

"Ron….what the bloody hell!" She exclaimed quietly, not wanting to be overheard by the others in the next room.

Ron stepped back from her and looked at his two friends, wearing a guilty smile and scratching the back of his head.

"I'm sorry. I suppose I should explain. He's really not that bad. Still a bit of a tosser, but" he said pausing, "a more tolerable tosser?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then back at Ron. Both wearing very confused expressions.

Ron sighed, "listen, I'll explain everything later this evening, I promise. But for now, we better get in there before mum either chokes Malfoy, or Ginny hexes him."

Ron walked into the kitchen. Hermione and Harry slowly followed after him. "I wouldn't be opposed to either of those happening" Harry whispered to Hermione, causing her to giggle softly.

Upon walking into the kitchen, Hermione was surprised to find the Weasleys all gathered around the table chatting loudly, with Malfoy sitting in between Charlie and George. He looked completely out of place with his platinum hair in a sea of red. Molly had placed a large plate full of food in front of him and he was staring at it wearily.

When Harry and Hermione walked in smiling, he looked up and locked eyes with her. It was only for a moment, but Hermione could have sworn she saw fear flash in his eyes. He gave her a small, tight lipped smile and went back to staring wearily at his plate before George clapped him on the back.

"Eat up, Malfoy. Otherwise mum will shove it down your throat."

Malfoy looked at him in horror, and the other Weasley's all laughed.

"She won't really do that" he asked hesitantly back, "will she?"

George laughed loudly and shook his head. "I've seen her break out a funnel and stick it in Harry's mouth. Granted, this was after the final battle, so Harry was looking a bit guant."

Harry and Hermione sat down at the table, directly across from Malfoy and George.

"Can we not talk about that moment. If it wasn't for Ginny, I think she would have actually poured food down the funnel."

Everyone laughed at that, though Malfoy still looked horrified.

"Oh hush, you lot!" Molly said as she walked into the room, floating trays behind her. "The three of you showed up looking like you hadn't eaten or bathed in days!" She looked pointedly at Ron, Harry and Hermione as she lowered the rest of the food onto the table.

Ron rolled his eyes and began piling food onto his plate, "yeah, that's because we hadn't."

Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "Enough talk. Let's eat so that I can kick you all out of my home. Merlin knows I love my children, but the abuse I take…"

"You know we jest, mum. Look at Ron, he's ecstatic to be home again." Bill said on a laugh.

Everyone turned to look at Ron, who currently had his mouth stuffed and was about to take another bite of his sandwich. He looked up and glared at everyone, before opening his mouth to speak.

"Don't you dare say a word, Ronald! Close your mouth and finish chewing first." Molly interrupted him. Ron threw her a glare and kept quiet, finishing what was in his mouth.

The group sat around the table, talking and laughing for an hour. Harry and Hermione kept a side eye on Malfoy the entire time, noticing that he seemed to have an easy friendship with Charlie, and George would bud into their conversation from time to time.

Shortly after lunch was finished, Malfoy stood up and turned to Arthur and Molly, bowing and thanking them for the food, but insisting that he must be going.

Terribly sorry, he couldn't stay longer. Yes, he did eat enough. No, he really couldn't take any leftovers. Yes, he will be back again, as himself, Ron, and Charlie would all be going back to Romania with another portkey.

With a final goodbye and a short nod to Harry and Hermione, Malfoy disapparated on the spot.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny said their goodbyes soon after. The four deciding to return to their homes to get ready before going out that evening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The four friends met at the Leaky Caldron later that night for drinks. They were gathered around a table, laughing and reminiscing. Hearing Ron tell stories of the Hungarian Horntail he's in charge of.

"I'm not kidding! The first time I met her, she nearly melted my face off! I was lucky Charlie was there to tackle me to the ground in time. That would have been a long time in the medical ward." He said, shaking his head and taking a sip of his firewhiskey.

"You seem a much more capable trainer now, mate." Harry said, grinning and elbowing Ginny discreetly.

Ginny tried to hide her snicker behind her wine glass.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair. "Don't listen to them, Ron. You've become an excellent trainer, and the dragons seem to love you."

"Thanks 'Mione." He smiled at her affectionately. "How have things been here? I rarely talk to you anymore."

"Hold on, now. While we're on the subject of dragons" Ginny said in a rush. "What the bloody hell is going on with Malfoy?"

Hermione and Harry nodded and the three of them looked at Ron with questioning eyes. Ron scratched the back of his head.

"Like I said, he's really not a bad bloke. I mean, yes, when he first arrived to the camp I was not happy about it. Nearly threw a fit. We mostly ignored each other for the first month. But he was assigned to my team, so I had to speak with him at some point."

Ron got a faraway look in his eye as he told the story. The other three friends watched and listened with rapt attention.

"We fought everyday. Never got physical, but there was a lot of yelling. Pissed off the team leaders, that's for sure. They got so sick of us, they sent him and I on a mission to retrieve abandoned dragon eggs. We got reports of some poachers in a nearby town. Turns out, what were thought to be abandoned eggs, were not _actually_ abandoned."

Ron paused to take a sip of his drink and looked at the other three in turn. Hermione hadn't touched her food, and he could tell she was listening intently. She was staring into his eyes, golden brown meeting icy blue, and her stare never wavered.

Harry was already half way through his second drink, which was no surprise. He had taken up drinking after the war ended, and while it wasn't anything to be overly worried about, Ron knew he would have to talk to his friend about it sometime soon.

Ginny didn't seem like she cared about the story much. She was busy nursing her wine and snacking on bread. But Ron knew that was just how she appeared. Inwardly, Ginny was paying rapt attention. She wasn't looking at him, but her eyes hadn't moved beyond the table in front of her.

He knew he should have told them sooner. It was a weird situation, even for him. Draco Malfoy making a sudden reappearance in his life, after not seeing him for years. He should have told them when he finally decided that Malfoy was an agreeable bloke, that he had become a quick confidant. And he _definitely_ should have told them when Malfoy confided in him one drunken night, when the pair of them spilled their thoughts and their fears. But he didn't. He couldn't. And he wasn't entirely sure why.

He took a breath and continued with his story. "We'd been out in the wilderness for two weeks. Barely talking to each other. We had an unspoken agreement to stay silent through the mission unless it was required to speak. It had rained the night before, and we finally managed to climb up to the cave where the dragon eggs were supposed to be. Except, there were no eggs. But there _was _a bloody huge dragon and her new born babes.

"A female Ukrainian Ironbelly was at the back of the cave. She knew we were there, and we knew that she knew. So we ran. Got the hell right out of that cave, nearly leapt off the mountain. She followed us out. Malfoy was behind me, and when she spit out her fireball, he tackled me to the ground just in time and rolled us off the edge. I saw that fire hit the rock right where my head had been a second ago."

"So, he saved you?" Harry asked incredulously.

Ron nodded. "Sure did. Had a few broken bones, mind you, but we lived. She didn't chase us after that. Luckily we packed some skele-grow in our kits, otherwise we would have been pretty screwed hiking back to camp. Your undetectable extension charm really helped us out, 'Mione."

Hermione smiled, proud that Ron had remembered something she taught him.

"Wow, I'm surprised. So you two have what, been best friends since?" Ginny asked her brother, truly curious.

Ron chugged down the rest of his drink and shrugged "Mmm yeah, pretty much."

"Well, given that he did save you, I suppose we have to be civil to the bloke now." Harry sighed.

"I'm willing to be nice if he is." Said Hermione, crossing her arms. "But if he puts one toe out of line, I will hex him."

Ron chuckled, "I don't doubt you will. Anyways, I should get going." Standing up, Ron placed a few sickles on the table. "I'm exhausted. I'll see you lot tomorrow?"

Harry shrugged and finished his drink "Probably. Gin and I will be hanging out at home if you two want to come over?"

"I have some work to do, but I'll try after." Hermione said as she stood, grabbing her purse and tossing a couple extra coins on the table.

The other three groaned. "You work too hard, Hermione." Ginny said, kissing her friend on the cheek.

Hermione smiled and after kissing her friends goodbye, apparated into her living room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That week flew by. Hermione was in meetings all week, and had hung out with her friends nearly everyday. She missed seeing Ron, but she also missed her alone time. When Saturday finally came, she was perfectly content to lounge around until she had to go to Hogwarts for tea with Minerva.

She flooed into the Headmistress's office, not at all surprised to see Minerva standing there waiting for her.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. Right on time, as always."

Hermione smirked. "Good to see you, Minerva. How have you been?"

"Well enough. I'm losing my energy as I get older, but the children are much better behaved than you all were."

Hermione laughed at that. "Sorry, I can only imagine what it was like to teach us. I realize now how awful we really were."

Minerva led them towards her desk, where the elves had already set out tea and scones. "I won't say your class didn't give me many grey hairs, but I loved all of you. Yes, even the Slytherins" Minerva said upon seeing Hermione about to speak. She began pouring tea for the two of them. "I always consider my students to be my children while they're under my care. But your year holds a special place in my heart. Childhood was not kind to _any _of you." She emphasized "any", giving a stern look to Hermione.

Hermione looked at her hands in her lap, with a sad smile. "No, I know it wasn't. I wished I realized that the Slytherins had as hard a time as we did back when I was still in school."

Minerva took a sip of her tea and put it softly back on the saucer before speaking. "Rather than discuss depressing matters, I invited you hear because I wanted to inform you of the ministry ball."

Hermione looked up curiously. "I was told that it was to be held here. Has there been a change?"

Minerva gestured to the cup in front of Hermione, indicating for her to drink. She waited until Hermione took a sip before she continued. "No, it will be held here. However, I find myself growing too old and tired to plan a ministry event. And the other professors aren't getting any younger. I wonder if I could ask a favor of you, Ms. Granger."

Hermione looked at her old professor with a curious look. "If you're going to ask me to help plan the event, I would be delighted. However, I don't think I'll be able to do it alone in the next few weeks. I'm very busy at work an-"

Minerva raised her hand to silence her. "I would not ask you to do this alone. Yes, I was going to ask you to help plan, but that was not the favor."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing herself for Hermione's possible reaction to her request.

"I have already asked another to assist you in the planning. I just ask that you two get along."

Hermione was confused. Get along? She tries to be nice to everyone, who could Minerva be worried she won't get along with?

Before Hermione could voice these questions, Minerva stood from the table and went to the door. She looked back at Hermione as she slowly opened it, revealing a tall figure with his back turned. He turned to look at her upon hearing the door opening, and his eye instantly found hers.

Hermione took a sharp breath and stood quickly. For the second time in a week, she was staring directly at Draco Malfoy.

After not seeing the man since his trial in which she spoke for him, she had now seen him _twice_. That was two times too much, Hermione thought.

He took a step into the room, and turned to Minerva. "Thank you, Headmistress." Turning back to Hermione, he nodded in greeting. "Granger."

"Malfoy" she replied with a nod.

"Mr. Malfoy, please take a seat. We have a few things to discuss if you both will agree to work together on planning the event."

Malfoy glided past Hermione and sat in the chair to her left, Hermione sat back down. Her spine was straight and her hands clasped together in her lap. She knew she could handle Malfoy, especially with the Headmistress across the table, but it didn't make her any more comfortable sitting near him.

Minerva sat back down at her desk and poured another cup of tea, handing it to Malfoy before speaking again.

"Now, I know you two have your differences, but given that you were both the top of your class, I believe you'll be able to set aside those differences and work together to make the ball a success." She looked at the pair from over her glasses, reminiscent of the way Dumbledore used to.

"Wait a moment, why is Malfoy to be involved? He doesn't work for the ministry."

"Actually Granger, starting Monday, I'll be an auror."

Hermione's head snapped to look at the man next to her with wide eyes. "Really? But you just started dragon taming…"

Malfoy looked at her out of the corner of his eye and smirked into his cup. "That was part of my training. I do believe the ministry sent me to train with dragons in the hopes that one of them would kill me."

Hermione looked at Minerva quickly and then back to Malfoy. "I'm sure that's not true."

Malfoy placed his cup back on the saucer and to the table, turning fully towards Hermione. "The Wizengamot may have ruled that I was a free man, Granger. But rest assured that does not mean they want a Death Eater in their auror ranks."

"The ministry is full of vengeful people, Ms. Granger." Minerva chimed in, drawing their attention back to the matter at hand. "You are well aware. But whether Mr. Malfoy was sent there to die is moot. He is very much alive, and has officially passed his training. Now," she whisked her desk clear with her wand, "we have much to discuss."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Hermione and Malfoy walked side by side through Hogwarts, making their way towards the gates. The Headmistress had to make a floo call, and shooed the pair of them out of her office. They've been walking together for the past five minutes, neither of them saying a word.

She was very uncomfortable. Yes, she knew Ron had said that he had changed, that he was an alright bloke. But it didn't make her feel much more confident when they were the only two people in the halls.

It wasn't long before they heard haunted laughing coming from one of the corridors. They looked at each other in fear, both knowing exactly who was coming towards them.

"Peeves" they breathed in unison.

Knowing all too well how the poltergeist was sure to humiliate the next person he came across, Hermione turned and was about to run in the opposite direction. A hand grabbed her arm, preventing her from making an escape. She turned sharply and narrowed her eyes at Malfoy.

"Let go before he finds us."

"You'll never be able to outrun him. He'll hear your footsteps."

"So what, we just sit and wait for him to find us?" She whispered harshly.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her for a second before turning around and dragging her to the far wall, where a curtain hung against a window.

He shoved her behind the curtain and followed right behind her. He drew the curtain closed and pushed her further against the wall. Her back was against the window and she could feel the cold seep into her skin. But moving forward would put her right up against Malfoy and _that_ would be so much worse. She shivered slightly.

Malfoy saw her shiver and sighed quietly. Putting his arm around her waist, he felt her stiffen as he pulled her away from the window and closer against his body. The top of her head came up to his chin, and he was able to look down at her with a guarded expression.

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes and whispered, "What do you think you are doing! Let me-"

But before she could say more, they heard Peeves maniacal laugh on the other side of the curtain.

Hermione's eyes widened slightly and Malfoy put a finger to his lips, informing her to stay silent.

Oh Merlin, this was terrible. She did not want to be in this position. She couldn't make a sound for fear of Peeves discovering them, but she _certainly_ did not want to be pressed up against Draco Malfoy, of all people. _Then again_, she thought, _it could be worse. I could be pressed against Cormac McLaggen. Or Pansy Parkinson. Or Goyle. Gross. Okay, yes. It could be worse._

She pursed her lips and looked at Malfoy from underneath her eyelashes. He was staring straight ahead, his face still guarded. Once they no longer heard Peeves laughter, he released her and opened the curtain for her to walkthrough.

She stepped out and brushed imaginary lint from her clothing, not wanting to meet his eye.

Draco glanced at her and started making his way back to the gates, hearing her rush to catch up to his long strides.

They continued in silence, and he couldn't bear it any longer. Taking a breath, he steeled his courage and began, "Listen, Granger. I know we've never gotten along and I'm well aware of how you feel about me," Hearing her snort he rolled his eyes. "but I didn't come this far just to disappoint the ministry. I would greatly appreciate if you can forget the fact you hate me and work with me to make this ball a success."

They had reached the doors to the castle. He pushed them open, allowing her to go first. They made their way through the courtyard and down the slope before she stopped and turned towards him.

"Very well. I don't want to disappoint the ministry either. I will work with you, Malfoy, but you must agree to be civil. I will agree to the same."

She stuck her hand out towards him, looking him straight in the eye with a determined face.

He stared back as he took her hand in his, grasping it firmly. "Deal."

She smiled brightly before turning her back to him and continued making her way to the bottom of the slope.

Draco was stunned. He'd never seen her smile that brightly. Well, yes, he had. But it was never directed at him before. He made to follow after her before she turned back around and called out to him.

"Oh, and Malfoy."

He looked up at her.

"I don't hate you. I just don't like you."

She smirked and waved before disapparating on the spot.

She didn't see the stunned expression on the mans face, nor the relieved smile that came quickly after.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Four days. It has been four days since she was told she would be working with Malfoy to plan the ministry Halloween ball. Four days since he had pushed her behind a curtain. Four days since she felt his muscled body pressed against hers. Four days since they agreed to be civil.

And she hadn't received one fucking owl. Not from him, not from the Minister, not from the Headmistress. There were only a few weeks to plan this bloody party, and no one seemed to be putting in much effort.

Fine. She can plan this whole damn event herself. _So much for "working together" _she thought angrily.

She was annoyed. This whole day has been pure crap, and it wasn't even noon. First, the barista at her favorite café had gotten her order wrong. Fine. Hermione wasn't going to get upset about a measly drink order. But then she came into her office and found three notices and two new reports on her desk, each needing immediate attention. Also fine, wouldn't be the first time and she knew it certainly would not be the last.

Then the heel of her shoe broke. And that was rather a bummer, because she did like these shoes. And now she was sitting in her chair. Staring at page 23 of a 50 page report. And her mind had wandered. And her skirt was feeling too tight. And her toes were cold. And her drink was wrong. And she was very, very aggravated.

_This day could not possibly get-_

Her office door opened. And in walked Harry, Ron and Malfoy. All smiling.

_Son of a fucking bitch!_

She closed her eyes and pinched her nose.

"Hello! Would you kindly explain why the hell the three of you are in my office looking entirely too chipper." She asked in sarcastic anger.

They're faces dropped immediately, and Harry took a hesitant step forward.

"Hey 'Mione." He purred. "We were all going to go out for lunch and wanted to know if you would join us."

"No."

Harry looked back at the other two, and scowled as they just shrugged in response.

"Come on. I'm sure you've been looking over the same report for the past two hours. You can use a break."

"Three hours, actually. And I can't. I'm entirely too busy."

"Granger," Malfoy said, slowly walking towards her, "you can't skip lunch."

"I can and I will, thank you." She looked up at him as he approached. "I need to speak with you."

"Well, we can talk over lunch. I'm hungry," he grabbed her quill from her fingers and placed it on the desk "and I don't like to be kept waiting."

He helped her gently to her feet and she huffed in annoyance and sent him a nasty glare but complied.

Ron watched the easy interaction between the two, wearing a small smile on his face. "It's the last time I can see you before I head back to Romania, 'Mione."

Hermione looked up at him and cocked her head to the side, "You're leaving so soon? I thought you would stay a bit longer."

Ron shook his head as he grabbed her coat off the rack and helped her put it on. "Can't, love. I have to help Malfoy pack up his gear and the dragons are getting restless without their trainers."

"Oh." Hermione said sadly, leading the boys out of her office. "Well, can you come over this week? I wanted to spend a bit more time with you before I don't see you again for merlin knows how long."

Draco and Harry walked a few steps behind the pair, giving them a little space.

"It's good to have you on the team, Malfoy."

Draco glanced at the Boy-Who-Lived and nodded. "Glad they accepted me."

Harry nodded in return. "Listen, I know Ron and you have become good friends and I trust his judgement. I'm not going to be friends with you, but i'm willing to start over if you are."

Harry stuffed his hands in his robe pockets, waiting on an answer.

Draco chewed his cheek before responding "I never imagined I would willingly hang out with you, Potter. Let alone have lunch with the whole Golden Trio. But then again, I never imagined being friends with Weasley either. So sure, why the hell not." He glanced at the man beside him and gave a small smile. "I've already agreed to be civil to Granger, might as well extend it to you as well."

Draco turned his head back towards the pair, eyes zeroing in on the woman in front of him.

She was laughing at something Ron said. Her shoulders shaking and her arm wrapped tightly around Ron's.

Harry noticed him staring at Hermione and grimaced slightly.

Hermione had grown into a beautiful woman. Not that she wasn't always, but age had been kind to her. Her curly hair was still a mess, but Harry always thought she wore it well. Her face had hardened after the war, giving her a more angled and determined appearance. Her figure had lengthened, and she wore clothes that accentuated her curves. Not overly, mind you, but enough that one could tell she had an excellent figure.

Harry was protective of her. She'd always been his sister, and he wouldn't let anyone unworthy touch her if he could help it. And Draco Malfoy was certainly unworthy. He'd have to keep a close eye on the two.

They fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence as the four made their way out of the ministry and to the café down the street.

After receiving their drinks and muffins, they sat down at a table, Harry and Ron flocking Hermione on both sides.

"Granger," Draco started, sitting down across from her with a grimace, "you're wearing sandals."

"Yeah. So what?"

"You're also wearing stockings. You know those don't really go together, right?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "First, my heel broke this morning, so luckily I had a pair of sandals in my desk. Second, why would I possibly take fashion advice from you?"

Harry sucked in a breath, knowing this had potential to get ugly pretty quickly.

Draco placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on the back of his hand as he stared at her with a calculated look. "First, are you or are you not, a witch?" Seeing her face start to redden, he continued. "Second, if you haven't noticed, I'm always impeccably well dressed." He gave a sweeping gesture down his body. "If you're going to take fashion advice from _anyone,_ it should be me."

She had noticed. She had definitely noticed. The little prat did somehow manage to look neat and well dressed whenever he popped up.

Ron snorted. "Anyone who wants to look like a total ponce should take fashion advice from you."

Malfoy shoved Ron lightly as he went to take a sip, his eyes not leaving Hermione's.

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed as he nearly spilled his drink.

"I do hope you pick out a suitable dress for the ball. It won't do to have one of the planning members look underdressed." Malfoy sneered as he turned back to Hermione.

"Oh! I did want to talk to you about that!"

She leaned forward eagerly, completely ignoring the previous statement and the confused looks of her two best friends.

"I haven't heard from you in days! We need to get started!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I've been a bit busy, Granger."

Harry looked at Ron with a silent, questioning look. Ron shrugged in response and watched whatever was about to unfold.

"Do not use that as an excuse, Malfoy! If you didn't notice, I'm busy as well."

"Oh yes, Granger. Stuffing your brain with useless knowledge is a grueling task."

"It's not useless! All of my knowledge will come in handy at one point or another."

"Ah yes, and when have you needed to know every little secret that could be found in Hogwarts: A History?"

Draco smirked as he noticed her face turning red. He did so love to rile her up.

"Rather often, actually." She hissed.

Harry and Ron watched the volley, both lightly touching their wands incase one of them blew up.

"How did you know I read that book, anyways?" She asked.

He rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Everyone knew you read that book, Granger. You carried it around like a bloody bible."

"It's a very informative book, and happens to be my favorite." She responded as she copied his posture.

"I don't blame you. It's one of mine as well."

Harry looked at Draco with wide eyes before looking at Ron. Noticing he wore an amused expression, Harry decided against his better judgment to bud into the conversation.

"Really?" Hermione shot back up. "Which part? Which version? Have you read the newest edition?"

Draco smiled at her. "How about we discuss it later this week? We can have dinner and discuss the ball as well."

Ron cocked an eyebrow at his remark but remained silent.

"Oh right! Yes, we should definitely talk. How about Friday evening?"

Harrys eyebrows shot into his hairline.

"Friday evening works well for me. I'll pick you up at 7:00?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other with wide eyes.

"7:00 is fine. I'll pick the place."

"Absolutely not. Just make sure you are properly dressed."

He stood from the table and made to leave. "I have to run, I have a meeting with Robbards in 10 minutes. See you Friday, Granger."

She scowled as he smirked and walked out the door.

"Bloody prat" She mumbled.

The three friends sat in silence for a moment before Harry shook himself out of his stupor. His plan to keep the two apart was off to a bad start. "What in the seven bloody hells was that!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands in the direction Malfoy had just gone.

"What do you mean, Harry?" Hermione said on a sigh.

"That! That….flirting!"

Hermione looked at him sharply. "We were not _flirting_, Harry! Gross."

"Umm, 'Mione. Hate to tell you, but that was some heavy flirting." Ron finally spoke up.

"You two are daft. It was _not_ flirting! If you weren't paying attention, we just scheduled to meet up to discuss the ministry ball."

"A date, Hermione. You and Malfoy just set up a date."

"We did not!"

Harry placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, you did. Whether or not you both realize that remains to be seen, though."

"If we didn't do it intentionally, Harry, then it is certainly not a date."

"We'll see. From my experience with Ginny, if your clothes are all thrown across your room with only 15 minutes to spare, then it's a date."

Hermione scoffed. "Yes well, that's because Ginny actually likes you. I don't have any such feelings towards Malfoy."

She grabbed her purse from under her feet and checked for her wallet, missing the skeptical look Harry and Ron exchanged.

"You know," Ron began, grabbing Hermione's hand and catching her eye "he's really improved since high school."

He let go and held up his other hand as Hermione opened her mouth, silencing her. "I know, I know. He was a total prat and I hated his guts. Honestly, I may have hated him the most out of all of us."

Harry and Hermione snorted.

"But!" Ron continued, narrowing his eyes at his two friends. "I really believe he's turned himself around. I consider him a friend. Just, please, give him a chance. He really wants to make amends."

Harry sighed. "I can't promise anything, Ron. But I will admit he has turned into an alright bloke."

Ron smiled and looked at Hermione.

"You seem to have gotten more comfortable around him, 'Mione. Would you give yourself a chance?"

Hermione looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't I give _him_ a chance?"

Ron smiled at her and stood up. "I think you already have."

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, ignoring the look of confusion on her face.

"I have to go, I'll see you guys later. Tell Ginny I want some of her pumpkin pasties before I go back!"

"Will do, mate." Harry smiled and waved at Ron as he disappeared.

Harry looked back at Hermione, who still had a confused look on her face. He knew Hermione could take care of herself, but the thought of her being alone with Malfoy for an evening made him uneasy.

_Damnit, that guy moved in on her fast._

"Come on, Hermione. We should get back to work."

As they walked down the street back to the ministry, Hermione had thrown Ron's words around in her head, trying to understand them.

"Harry."

"Mmm?"

"What do you think Ron meant when he said I've already given Malfoy a chance?"

Harry looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was looking at the ground, her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. He sighed quietly.

"Well, you've agreed to work with him on the ball, right?"

She looked at him. "Yes. But that's because Minerva asked."

"Okay. But you also agreed to go out with him for lunch today, correct?"

"Yeah, but you and Ron were with me."

Harry smiled sadly. "Yes. But you also agreed to go out to dinner with him. Alone."

"Well yes, but that's to talk about the ball."

Harry stopped walking and grabbed her shoulder, halting her. He looked into her eyes.

"Hermione, if you thought he was still the same boy we knew in school, would you have agreed to any of the above?"

Hermiones eyes widened as it dawned on her.

No. She wouldn't have agreed to any of those. She would have vehemently denied each of those requests, actually.

_So why now?_ She thought. _Why did I suddenly agree to work with him, to eat with him?_

Harry walked her back to her office and bid her goodbye, leaving Hermione to her own thoughts for the rest of the day.

She tried to focus on her work, she really did. But her brain was off somewhere else and she couldn't bring it back. Now that her friends had pointed it out, she noticed that she had felt more comfortable around Malfoy. Granted, he still skeeved her out. And she still didn't like him. But there had been no snide remarks about her blood status, no threats to her life. She hadn't had the urge to punch him in the mouth. Overall, she could tolerate him. And the thought of having dinner with him wasn't as a revolting as it once would have been.

In fact, she was looking forward to it. Malfoy had always been just below her in grades, and she knew that their conversations would be stimulating. Not that her conversations with Harry, Ron or Ginny weren't, but she needed an intellectual equal.

_Well, almost an equal_. She smiled to herself as she packed up her things for the night. _Can't have him thinking he's just as intelligent as I am._

_XXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but I have big plans for next chapter and I wanted this one out of the way! Hope you're enjoying the story so far!**  
_


	4. Chapter 4

Last Chapter:

"_A date, Hermione. You and Malfoy just set up a date."_

"_We did not!"_

_Harry placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, you did. Whether or not you both realize that remains to be seen, though."_

"_If we didn't do it intentionally, Harry, then it is certainly not a date."_

"_We'll see. From my experience with Ginny, if your clothes are all thrown across your room with only 15 minutes to spare, then it's a date."_

**Chapter 4:**

The remainder of the week had gone slow for Hermione. Malfoy had sent her a letter asking for her address, but that was all she had heard from him for the rest of the week.

She'd sat in a meeting with some pompous pureblood from finance on why the Ministry "simply cannot afford to accommodate Centaurs in the workplace." Until Hermione provided a 35-minute lecture and a detailed financial plan on why they bloody can, effectively shutting him up.

Ron had come over Thursday evening. Hermione had cooked dinner, and they spent time laughing and drinking. They fell asleep together after watching a movie on the telly, and in the morning Hermione had given him a tearful goodbye.

"I'll see you soon, I promise." He had assured her as he kissed her gently on the cheek before leaving through the floo.

She'd gone to work that day and had been utterly useless, missing Ron and thinking about her impending dinner with Malfoy later that evening. She had gone home at 5:00 on the dot, not wanting to linger at work any longer then she had to.

She'd taken her time getting ready. She took a nice relaxing bath when she got home and put on light makeup, only to look at the clock and realize Malfoy would be arriving in 30 minutes. She'd gone through every piece of clothing she owned, but without knowing where they were going, she was at a loss of what to wear.

And now, here she was. Staring at her closet with her hands on her hips and eyes narrowed into slits.

"BLAST HIM!" Hermione yelled from her closet, inwardly cursing Harry's name and the day he was born. "It's not a date!" She threw another shirt onto the bed. "Why did he have to get the thought into my head? Now I'm freaking out about it!"

_Relax, Hermione. You've punched him in the face. You've hexed the shite out of him. Why are you getting flustered about clothing?_ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her inner voice was right. She didn't need to put any thought into this. It wasn't a date. They had argued and then suddenly set up a time to meet. Certainly not how one would propose a "date".

She doubted that he was putting much effort into getting ready, so why should she?

She grabbed the closest garment to her, a velvet blue skater dress with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. She shrugged to herself, putting it on. It was nice, but nothing over the top. And she did look damn good in it. She grabbed a grey sweater to wear over it and a pair of silver flats. Looking at herself in the mirror, she nearly screamed when she realized she forgot to fix her hair.

She groaned inwardly as she heard the floo chime, signaling someone trying to come through. She walked into her living room and flicked her wand at the fireplace, allowing them to enter.

Malfoy walked through and brushed the soot of his black peacoat, his face relaxed.

_Curse the man for looking so at ease all the time. As if I haven't been sweaty and shaky for the past 20 minutes_.

He looked up at her and grinned. "Granger. Your hair is a mess."

She rolled her eyes in response. "Yes, Malfoy. I'm well aware that my head looks like a giant rats nest."

He took his coat off and tossed it onto the back of the couch, revealing a black button-down shirt underneath. "I wouldn't go that far. More like a tumbleweed, but definitely not a rats nest. I'm sure you have much better hygiene than that."

She scowled at him and walked back to her bedroom. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll only be a couple more minutes."

Draco looked around at his surroundings. _Of course Granger's place would be overrun with books._ He rolled his eyes.

There were books on every possible surface. Cooking, romance, classic, mystery, bibliography's, How-To's. The genres went on and on. She truly did want to know _everything_ about the world. He smiled to himself as he made his way to one of the many bookshelves on the far side of the room.

It was stocked full of books, not a single one in any sort of order. Hermione may seem calm and collected on the outside, but inside her brain was a jumbled mess. _Clearly shows in her organized chaos, _he thought.

Seeing that Hermione was still doing her hair through the crack in her door, Draco picked up a book and sat on the couch.

About five minutes later, Hermione came out with her hair tied into a messy bun. She grabbed her purse from off the coffee table and walked over to Malfoy. He seemed to be engrossed in whatever he was reading, not even looking up as she stood in front of him.

"Malfoy."

He looked up at her and his mouth formed a small O. His eyes widened as he finally took her in.

"Wow Granger. You clean up well." He remarked, placing the book on the coffee table next to him. He stood up and grabbed his jacket, shrugging it back over his shoulders.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Let's go. I'm hungry and we really need to talk about our plans for the ball."

"As you wish. May we apparate out of here?" He asked as he held his arm out to her.

"Yes" She looked at his arm curiously. "But wouldn't you rather use the floo?"

"I'm not partial to the floo, actually. Aggravates my sinuses."

Hermione shrugged. "Makes sense." She wrapped one arm around his and placed the other on his wrist. "Lead the way."

Hermione felt the familiar feeling of being squeezed through a straw before she felt her feet hit the floor again.

They had arrived in what seemed to be a small parlor. The floors were a brown tile and the walls were painted an earthy green.

Along the walls were moving pictures of different scenery. Jungles, plains, rolling hills. She saw a tiny monkey swing through the branches of the jungle scene.

A love seat sat against the far wall with a dark wood coffee table in front of it. To her left were a pair of glass doors, and she could hear chatter coming from the other side.

"Um, where are we?"

Draco glanced over and gave her a sly grin, "my favorite drinking hole."

She arched an eyebrow at him, "a pub? This doesn't look like a pub…"

"Not quite a pub, Granger." He took her arm and led her towards the glass doors.

As she walked through the glass doors, Hermione took a sharp breath.

Inside, the room was covered from floor to ceiling in jungle plants. Tall trees seemed to stretch into the sky, and Hermione assumed the ceiling was enchanted with magic, much like the ceiling of Hogwarts. She could hear different types of birds calling in the background, loud enough that it was present, but not overwhelming. At the far end of the room, she could make out a small waterfall that flowed into the large pool of water in the center of the room. A small bridge connected the sides of the room, and Hermione could see a large group of people crowded around a bar on the other side.

"This is amazing!" She breathed.

Malfoy smirked at her and led her over the bridge towards the bar. As they walked, she peered over the railings and could make out a small group of fish below the surface.

He led her over to a high top table, sitting down across from her.

"This is quite nice." She said as she continued looking around.

"Of course it is. I don't go to grimy places, Granger. It's not fit for a Malfoy."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Sorry. How silly of me to forget that you cannot be seen in low class establishments."

"It would do you well to remember considering you and I will be going out often."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't think so, Malfoy. We can correspond through owl for most things. I will accept going out for meet ups on occasion, but certainly not 'often'".

"We'll see, Granger." He remarked with a smirk. "You may come to enjoy my company."

Hermione scoffed back at him, "doubtful."

He continued to smirk at her as a waiter came over to take their drink and food order. They decided to share a bottle of wine, and of course Draco had to order the best since he was paying. Hermione would have argued with him on the point, but she had seen the prices on the menu and was not looking forward to the bill.

As they waited for their drinks to arrive, Hermione whipped out a notepad and ballpoint pen, ready to discuss business and get this meeting over with quickly. As beautiful as this place was, it wasn't much her style.

"What's this place called, anyway?" She asked as she opened to a new page in her notebook.

"The Watering Hole."

"Oh." She blushed slightly as she lifted her eyes to his. "Makes sense, I suppose."

The waiter came back and poured their drinks, placing the bottle in a wine stand and shuffling away again.

Draco picked up his glass and held it in front of him, "let's toast, shall we?"

Hermione imitated his actions, "to what?"

A smirk appeared in the corner of his lips, "to new beginnings."

They clinked their glasses, and Hermione brought the glass to her lips, relishing in the dark and wood-like taste of the wine.

It was quite delicious, she would have to admit. But then again, he had spent a fortune on the bottle so it had better be good. And she knew he wouldn't drink some weak alcohol. That just didn't fit into the whole "proud pureblood" persona of his.

As Hermione was having her inner musings about the wine, Draco studied her from above the rim of his glass.

He was able to admit that she had blossomed in school. Her Yule Ball appearance shocked everyone, including the Slytherins. Draco inwardly smirked at the thought of Weasley and Potters faces when she walked down the stairs. Apparently, they hadn't realized how beautiful their friend had become either.

He hadn't seen her in years, but the tabloids kept a steady track of her life. As the only single, female, and easily accessible portion of the Golden Trio, the papers often followed every aspect of her life. It was for this reason that he took her to this particular bar. The exclusive guest list and dim lighting helped to hide that fact that she was here, and especially that she was here with him.

The dress she had chosen for the night looked good on her. Real good. It accentuated her curves and allowed little samples of skin to peak out in all the right places while still maintaining proper coverage. She looked beautiful, really. The type of girl you'd bring home and introduce to your parents. But that clearly was not an option for Draco, and while he could admit she was beautiful and he had entertained the idea of laying with her once or twice, he had to be realistic. She would never allow him to touch her in such a manner.

No, this meetup had a different purpose.

"So" He began, placing his glass down and leaning forwards, steepling his fingers. "shall we get started on the ball plans?"

Hermione placed her glass down and gently wiped the wine from her lips with her fingers.

Draco's eyes followed the movement, watching as she wrapped her fingers around her pen again.

"Yes, you're right. I think we should decide attire first. Since it is to be a masquerade, I'd say formal."

"It's the Halloween Ball, though. Shouldn't there be costumes?"

Hermione placed the pen against her lips, tapping lightly. "Mmm I would agree, but that sounds like it could get a bit out of control."

"Oh?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do explain."

"Well, someone could come in wearing a full animal costume, and it would technically qualify as a 'mask'."

Draco rubbed a hand across his chin in thought as Hermione took another sip of her wine.

"I suppose that's a good point. Though it would make for an excellent story the next day. I can name at least four ministry workers that would definitely wear an animal costume." He said with a shiver.

Hermione chuckled, grabbing her pen and writing the words _Attire: Formal_ on the top line.

"So we are agreed? Formal attire?"

"Yes, Granger. We are agreed."

Hermione smiled slightly, "well, that's a first."

He raised his eyebrows in response, grabbing his wine glass and taking another sip.

"Okay, next we should decide on music. I'm not very up to date on wizarding bands, so you may have to take over this one."

They continued making ball plans for another hour. Their food had come and gone, and they had finished the bottle of wine. She was feeling more comfortable, and slightly warm. Though she could blame both on the wine. The dinner with Malfoy hadn't been nearly as disastrous as she had originally thought it would. He had been a gentleman, really. With a few snarky comments here and there, but that was to be expected.

Malfoy had paid for the bill, and they were now finishing up the remaining wine before leaving.

Hermione lifted her arms above her head and stretched. "Well, I'd say that's enough for one day. We got a lot covered!"

"We were only together for an hour, Granger. All we really decided on was clothing, music, and what food and drinks to serve."

"Yes, but those are the main priorities of a good party, Malfoy!"

He smirked and rolled his eyes in response, lifting his wine glass to his lips before draining the remaining wine. He twirled his empty wine glass between his fingers, hesitating to bring up a new subject.

Now that they had discussed the ball, they really didn't have anything to talk about. An awkward silence settled over the pair, both unwilling to meet the others eye.

Draco took in a deep breath and sighed, "listen, Granger" He looked up at her, wanting to get this conversation out of the way. "I wanted to thank you for coming out with me. In public, nonetheless."

She quirked an eyebrow at him but stayed silent.

"I know we've never been remotely friendly to one another, so I appreciate you giving me this chance."

Hermione clasped her fingers together in front of her. This was a conversation she wanted to avoid but knew had to be said. She wasn't aiming to be friends with Malfoy. Not at all. But she knew they had to at least be _friendly_ with one another, so she had agreed to meet with him to both discuss the ball, as well as show faith that they could get along.

She exhaled through her nose, desperately wishing she had more wine so that she could stall a bit longer.

"I don't know you, Malfoy. Not anymore."

She met his eyes and saw something flash across his face. Guilt? It was gone as quickly as it came.

"It's been years since we've seen each other. I hated you in school, but I grew up and I've learned. Hating you was foolish. Your childhood sucked just as much as mine."

She gave him a sad smile, hoping that he would take her words to heart.

"I gave you this chance because I believe you've grown up as well. Hell, being friends with Ron says a lot about you."

His lip quirked upwards and he looked away. Hermione took a slow breath, wanting to get this conversation over with as quickly as possible. She wasn't a fan of giving her reasons behind every action, and she knew he was just as uncomfortable with the topic as she was.

"Ron is one of my best friends, and I trust his judgment. So if he says you've changed, then I believe him."

He turned back to her. His face was neutral again, his mask slipped back into place as it always has.

"Ron is a good guy, and I'll always regret my attitude towards him and his family. But he accepted me when I thought no one else would, and his family welcomed me with open arms."

He looked down at his hands, not wanting to meet her eyes.

"I'll be eternally grateful to all of them. They really are a loving group of people, and their hearts are capable of making and keeping friends."

Hermione scrunched her eyebrows, pondering his statement. Yes, the Weasleys were a beautiful and loving family, but to say they can _keep_ friends? Malfoy still had his friends from before, didn't he? She knew he wasn't heartless, she had even noticed he loved his friends while they were still in school.

"That was a weird way of putting it. It sounds like you're saying you don't have that kind of heart yourself."

Draco looked away, struggling to keep his face emotionless as he had been taught from a young age.

"Maybe I don't" he murmured softly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Hermione woke the following morning, head a bit groggy and utterly reluctant to get up. Crooks was laying against her thigh, and she absently stroked his fur as she stared at the ceiling. Her mind started running through the events of the previous evening, trying to catalog her feelings over each moment.

"_That was a weird way of putting it. It sounds like you're saying you don't have that kind of heart yourself."_

_Draco looked away, struggling to keep his face emotionless as he had been taught from a young age._

"_Maybe I don't" he murmured softly._

_It was no louder than a whisper, and she almost missed it. Hermione pretended not to hear. She wasn't ready to tackle the inner feelings of Malfoys heart, and she was sure he wasn't going to share them with her if she asked. It was merely a slip of the tongue._

_Malfoy suddenly looked at her, his mask fully sliding back into place and his face void of any emotion._

"_It's getting late, shall we head out?"_

_She was momentarily startled by the sudden shift in conversation._

"_Uhh yeah, let me just grab my purse."_

_As she hopped off the chair to grab her purse from the floor, a loud gurgle came from her stomach. Hermione clutched her stomach and glanced to Malfoy. He was staring at her with a smirk on his stupid face._

_She sharply turned away and a blush crept up her neck. She heard Malfoy chuckle behind her._

"_I would not be a proper gentleman if I took a lady out to eat, and she left still hungry."_

"_It's really quite alright. It's just my stomach digesting."_

_She felt a hand wrap around her arm and she looked up, Malfoy was still smirking at her._

"_Come on, Granger. I know a nice little ice cream place nearby. Surely you can suffer my company for a bit longer."_

_The thought of ice cream instantly made her ears perk. Damn her love of sweets!_

"_Very well. But please let me pay this time."_

"_Deal" he replied as he led them through the door they came in, and out onto the streets._

_Hermione looked at the buildings around, wondering where they were._

_Sensing her concern, he quickly reassured her. "We're still in England. I wouldn't kidnap you and take you out of the country. Unless you wanted me to, of course."_

_She scrunched her nose at him._

"_I would have hexed you if you had. But seeing as how you just paid for a lovely meal, I'll allow you to keep your bits." She turned her back to him and began walking down the street, her nose in the air._

_After walking a few feet, she slowed, not hearing his footsteps behind her. She turned to look at him, and found him leaning against a wall, arms crossed and looking at her with that infuriatingly stupid smirk of his. _

"_The ice cream parlor is the other way" he snarked, jabbing his thumb in the opposite direction._

_She stomped up to him, eyes glaring._

"_Lead the way" she hissed._

_They had walked side by side, neither saying a word. They ordered their ice creams, sat down, and just stared at one another. After taking a few bites of her ice cream, Hermione got a brain freeze, scrunching her nose and giving a small shiver._

_Sighing, Draco decided he'd had enough. He stood up and draped his jacket across her shoulders. As he sat back down, Hermione kept her scowl on her face._

"_If you keep glaring like that, your face will never go back to normal."_

"_I don't like you."_

"_Yes, Granger. I'm _well_ aware of the fact. You don't have to keep reminding me."_

"_You're being quite gentlemanly. It's weird."_

_A small smile played across his lips, "oh? Never had a gentleman take care of you before?"_

_She scoffed in response. "That's not what I mean, Malfoy."_

"_Then, do kindly explain."_

_She fixed him with narrowed eyes, "I just mean it's weird for you to be so…nice. You were a total prick in school, and I imagined it would carry over into adulthood."_

"_Make no mistake, Granger. I'm still a prick. It's just…" he sighed, looking away from her, "You're right, I did grow up. You never did anything to warrant my abuse towards you and your friends. Well, other than punching me in the face, of course." He looked at her from the corner of his eye and saw a blush creep up her face. "But even still, I certainly deserved it."_

_He turned towards her with a serious look on his face and a small frown on his lips. She was sucked into his eyes, the grey piercing into her. _

"_For what it's worth, I'm so sorry for everything I put you through. I don't expect you to ever forgive me, but I need you to know that hurting you is what I regret most."_

They had parted ways shortly after, and Hermione had gone home to fall into a restless slumber.

Now, the night kept replaying in her mind, cycling through the conversations that they had. Malfoy was closed off and cryptic, and while the know-it-all in her wanted to find out more about him, the stubborn part of her wanted to just get this ball over with and never have to speak with him again.

He had apologized about their childhood, and Hermione knew he only acted that way because of how he was raised, but it still hurt. Being constantly bullied and put down takes a toll on a young child. And while she always tried to keep her chin up and a brave face on, there were days when she would close the curtains around her bed and cry herself to sleep.

The scarred part of her could never forgive Draco Malfoy. Their relationship would stay professional until the ball, where they would part ways and hopefully never see one another again.

Untangling herself from the bedsheets, Hermione padded her way into the kitchen to make herself breakfast. As she was just finishing up, the familiar crack of apparition made her jump.

"Hermione Jean Granger!"

Hermione groaned, knowing exactly who that shriek belonged to.

Ginny rounded the corner in a blur of red, pulling out a chair next to Hermione and plopping herself into it.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a date with Malfoy!"

Hermione sighed. "Good morning, Gin."

"I had to find out from Harry, and he told me it was set up a _few_ _days_ ago!" Ginny screeched, ignoring Hermione. "Why did you not tell me!"

"It wasn't a date! We got together to talk about the Ministry ball!"

"For dinner! You got together for dinner!"

Hermione plopped her head in her hands, her voice muffled. "Can we tone it down a bit, Gin? It's far too early to have you yelling at me."

Ginny grumbled and crossed her arms. "I wish you had told me. This is important girl talk!"

"Sorry, I just didn't think it was really worth mentioning."

Ginny turned to her friend and grabbed her hands, holding them tightly in her own.

"Hermione, you haven't gone out with a man since Viktor. This is a big deal! And if I'm not mistaken, there's a mans jacket on the back of your couch that looks awfully expensive."

Hermione grimaced. Damn, she must have forgotten to give that back to him last night. "Viktor and I were dating. This was strictly a professional meeting. And he lent me his jacket because I was cold. I have no romantic feelings towards Malfoy."

"Really? Because _I _have romantic feelings towards Malfoy."

Hermione looked appalled. "Ginny!"

"What?" Ginny laughed. "Just because I'm married to the most wonderful man in the world, doesn't mean I can't admire other beautiful men." She said, letting go of Hermione's hands. "And you have to admit, Malfoy is beautiful."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he is good looking. Anyone with eyes can see that. But that's all he has going for him."

"Well that, and money, and power, and probably a rocking hot bod." Ginny looked up in concentration, ticking off each point on her fingers.

Hermione sighed again. She's been doing that so often lately, it can't be healthy. "Can we not talk about him anymore. Dinner was fine, he was oddly a perfect gentleman."

Ginny opened her mouth to speak but Hermione cut her off, holding her hand up. "No, I do not have plans to go out with him again. Please, Gin. Can we get off the subject?"

Ginny closed her mouth with a humph, narrowing her eyes. "Fine, but I demand that you tell me the full details soon."

At Hermione's agreement, Ginny perked up again.

"My second reason for coming over to see you is because I wanted to ask if we could have a girls night tonight."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "A girls night?"

"Yeah! Harry is gone for the weekend on training and I don't want to sit at home by myself."

Hermione placed a finger to her mouth, contemplating whether going out with Ginny was a good idea. She had a habit of going a bit wild. But Hermione could use the distraction…

"Well, I suppose I don't have anything else to do. So sure, that sounds great."

Ginny clapped her hands in excitement as she stood up. "Excellent! I'll come here after practice to help you get ready!"

Hermione's eyes widened, "Wait, Gin! I don't –"

But Hermione couldn't finish her sentence. Her friend had already waved and disaparrated away.

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment before she stood up and poured another cup of tea. Dealing with Ginny first thing in the morning takes a toll on the nerves. The girl has far too much energy.

Taking her tea to the couch, Hermione sat down and grabbed a book off the end table. If she was going to be stuck with Ginny for a long period of time, she'll need to gather her wits about her. Dealing with a sober Ginny was one thing, but it takes true strength to handle Ginny after she has alcohol in her system.

Taking a long deep breath, Hermione opened her book and began to read.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sometime later, Hermione sat at her workstation pouring over the notes her and Malfoy had made the night before. While they spoke about the more important points of a party, there was still fine details that needed to be addressed. She pulled a piece of parchment from the side drawer of her desk, intent on writing a letter to Malfoy to discuss her ideas.

Tapping the end of the quill against her cheek, she pondered her ideas. If the theme was masquerade, what would the décor be? Dark and romantic? Or light and magical? Should there be side rooms for guests to escape and enjoy extra activities?

Deciding that these were subjects best decided between the two of them, Hermione began her letter to Malfoy.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_I hope this letter finds you well._

_I wish to return your coat to you posthaste._

Hermione grimaced. That's far too formal. She crumpled the letter and threw it on the floor, starting a new one.

_Mr. Malfoy,_

_I believe we should hold another meeting to further discuss the ball, at your earliest convenience. _

Hermione stuck out her tongue in disgust. That sounded lame. She crumpled the letter again and started over once more.

_Malfoy,_

_I've been reviewing our decisions regarding the ball from last night and feel that we should continue our planning ASAP._

Hermione threw her hands up in frustration. Why was writing a simple letter so difficult? Everything sounded so formal and lame. There had to be a template somewhere in her brain for an appropriate and yet casual letter to a once enemy-now-turned-acquaintance.

Two hours, three cups of tea, and a massive headache later, Hermione finally had her letter.

_DM,_

_I have a few more ideas regarding the ball._

_Let's discuss._

_-HG_

_Ps. Thank you for letting me borrow your jacket._

Hermione thudded her head on the table. Not her best work, but it will have to do. She was burnt out.

Hermione rolled the parchment and sealed it with wax before leaving her apartment and heading towards the roof.

Hermione had decided to get an owl shortly after the war ended. However, she of course couldn't get a regular, beautiful owl. No, her brain had to get the owl that nobody else wanted.

She whistled, waiting for the bird to make his appearance. No more than 5 seconds later, Kimchee landed on her shoulder unsteadily.

Kimchee was a long-eared owl, with beautiful brown and white feathers, and huge yellow eyes. He flew a little crooked, with one wing significantly shorter than the other, but he hadn't failed Hermione yet.

Tying the letter to his leg, she ruffled his ears before sending him on his way. She watched him until he was nothing but a speck, sighing to herself and deciding that she should get a bath in before Ginny came back and dragged her out.

She made her way back down to her apartment, petting Crookshanks on the way to her bathroom. Running the water and throwing a few relaxing herbs into the tub, Hermione sunk in, closing her eyes and allowing the scent of lavender and mint envelope her senses.

She had no idea how long she stayed in there, but she must have fallen asleep. By the time she heard Ginny banging on the bathroom door, the water had gone cold.

Hermione climbed out and wrapped a fluffy robe around her just as Ginny burst through the door.

"Hermione! I've been banging on this door for 2 minutes! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, sorry," she sighed in response. "I must have fallen asleep."

Ginny looked her over with scrutinizing eyes.

"Hmm, I think you're going to need this outing more than I realized."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow as Ginny flounced out of the bathroom and into Hermione's closet. Hermione followed after her, plopping down on the edge of her bed.

"Where are we going, anyways?"

"Clubbing." Ginny's voice came out muffled, her head deep in Hermione's wardrobe.

Hermione crunched her face in response.

"With just the two of us? No offense Gin, but that sounds a bit dull."

Ginny pulled her head back out, her fingers grasped tightly around a slim red dress.

"Nope. I invited a few of our lady friends along as well." She pushed the dress into Hermione's hands. "Put this on and I'll do your hair and makeup when you come out."

Hermione grabbed the dress and made her way back to the bathroom, shedding her robe and putting on the dress without complaint.

When she came back out, Ginny had already changed into her own dress and was digging through Hermione's closet again.

"What are you searching for now?" Hermione asked, exasperation lacing her voice.

"Shoes! You need shoes to go with that dress."

Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes, sitting back down on the bed while Ginny rummaged through her shoe collection.

"Have you eaten yet? We probably shouldn't drink with empty stomachs."

Ginny pulled back out of the closet, a small "o" on her lips.

"That's a good point! Can we get pizza?" Her grin was wide and hopeful.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course." She made her way into the kitchen, dialing the local pizza joint and ordering a pie for delivery.

When she came back into the bedroom, Ginny had laid out shoes, a purse, and a shawl on Hermione's bed. Ginny was standing in front of the mirror, using her wand to pull her hair into a twisted bun.

"You know, you could always get pizza with Harry."

Ginny furrowed her brows, "no I can't. Ever since he went away for training in Italy, he keeps complaining." She turned around and scrunched her face in disgust. Deepening her voice, she imitated, "'Pizza tastes much better in Italy.' Or, 'you should taste _real_ Italian pasta."

"You sound just like him!" Hermione chuckled.

Ginny grinned and placed her hands on her hips, "I should! I've lived with him long enough."

She grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the mirror, pushing her into a stool nearby.

"Now sit, while I work my magic on this hair of yours."

Hermione dutifully sat still, allowing Ginny to push and pull her hair around, trying to get it into some order. All the while, Ginny regaled her tales of practice from that day, Hermione making comments at the appropriate moments.

Awhile later, after the girls had eaten and settled themselves back into '"getting-ready mode", as Ginny called it, they had managed to smooth out Hermione's hair, and Ginny had used a beauty charm to put a light amount of makeup on her face.

"I really think you should go for a brighter lip, 'Mione. It will look so good on you!"

"Fine! If it will make you stop bugging me about it, do what you want."

Ginny squealed in glee, pointing her wand at Hermione's face once more and muttering a charm.

A bright red immediately took over Hermione's lips. It matched her dress color perfectly, and Hermione hated to admit that it _did_ look really good.

"Now put on your shoes, and let's go! I have intentions to drink plenty, and find you a new man!"

"Oh! Ginny, please don't!" Hermione pleaded, looking up from tying her shoe straps around the ankle.

"Fine." Ginny pouted, "but I'll at least find you a new man!"

Ginny grabbed Hermione's arm just as Hermione grabbed her shawl and purse, intent to apparate to the club.

"That's exactly what I _didn't_ want..." Hermione murmured under her breath.


End file.
